Section F: Motions and Amendments

Motions and amendments are normally printed the day after they are lodged. If an amendment is lodged to a motion then the original motion will appear alongside the amendment, along with any support lodged that day, in this section.

Each Monday, this section also contains all motions and amendments lodged the previous week that are still live and any motions and amendments that have been lodged for debate in the coming week. A motion or amendment is live if it has not been debated, withdrawn or otherwise deleted from the list.

Where a motion or amendment has been withdrawn, it is indicated in this section the day after it has been withdrawn. Support for motions and amendments received after they are lodged is shown at the end of this section the day after such support is received.

Motions and amendments can be published with various symbols

Asterisks before the motion or amendment number indicate a motion or amendment published for the first time

Asterisks also identify alterations to the text of a motion or amendment made since it was first published

A hash symbol identifies motions eligible for debate at Members’ Business

A diamond symbol identifies motions lodged for Members’ Business that have not yet attracted the required cross-party support

An "R", identifies motions or amendments in which the Member who lodged it has a registrable interest.

The Parliamentary Bureau periodically deletes motions or amendments not scheduled for debate and which are over six weeks old.

Any questions in relation to this section should be directed to the Chamber Desk

New and altered motions and amendments

*S4M-08174 Roderick Campbell: North East Fife Businesses Collect Awards—That the Parliament congratulates Morton of Pitmilly countryside resort on being named Tourism Business of the Year and Scaramanga Trading on being named Retail Business of the Year by The Courier; understands that this was The Courier’s inaugural business awards and that businesses from across Fife, Tayside, Stirling and the Mearns were in attendance; considers that these awards celebrate the best of business in east central Scotland, and wishes both Morton of Pitmilly countryside resort and Scaramanga Trading the best of luck for the future.

*S4M-08173 James Kelly: Transport—That the Parliament deplores that £29.91 million was spent prior to the cancellation of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project, including an £8.17 million loss on land transactions; regrets that the land sales lacked transparency and accountability and were processed with no ministerial oversight, and demands a full and independent audit of all transactions associated with the project.

Supported by: Mark Griffin*

*S4M-08172 Graeme Pearson: Justice—That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government’s budget cuts are having a significant impact on the link between communities and their local police service; notes concern at plans to close police station public counters and reduce opening hours; also notes concern at the use of police officers to cover for cuts in the number of police staff; encourages people to make the case to save the service offered by their local police station and stand up for their local police service; condemns the practice of back-filling of staff posts by police officers, and calls on the Scottish Government to defend local policing.

Supported by: Elaine Murray*

*S4M-08171 Siobhan McMahon: Congratulations to the Hamilton Branch of the Royal British Legion and Hamilton Academical FC—That the Parliament congratulates the Hamilton Branch of the Royal British Legion and Hamilton Academical FC on erecting a plaque in memory of James Morgan and John Thomson at New Douglas Park; understands that both men were footballers at Hamilton Accies in the 1930s and lost their lives in action during the Second World War; notes that James Morgan was a private mentioned in dispatches for his bravery and that John Thomson was an RAF flying officer; welcomes the recognition of their heroism and sacrifice and hopes that this will remind current and future fans of the importance of the fight against fascism; praises in particular the efforts of the President of the Royal British Legion Hamilton Branch and Accies fan, Ian Forsyth, and the Stand Manager, Walter Hamilton, on having the plaque erected, and wishes all those involved every success for the future.

Supported by: Margaret Mitchell*, Richard Lyle*, Kevin Stewart*

*S4M-08170 Siobhan McMahon: 20th Anniversary of the Formal Establishment of the EU—That the Parliament notes that 1 November 2013 marked the 20th anniversary of the formal establishment of the European Union (EU); understands that the EU came into effect as a result of the signing of The Treaty of Maastricht on European Union on 7 February 1992; notes that the EU had existed in earlier guises, including the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community; believes that membership of the EU brings many benefits to the UK, including freedom to trade with other member states and fewer restrictions on the movement of labour; notes what it sees as the importance of the Social Chapter in relation to working conditions that the Labour administration signed in 1997; considers important the funding that the EU brings to a wide range of projects across communities; rejects any attempt to undermine what it sees as this very important relationship, and looks forward to a prosperous future for the UK as part of the EU.

*S4M-08169# Claudia Beamish: Thirsting for Justice—That the Parliament understands that the average daily consumption of water of Palestinian people to cover domestic and public service needs is around 70 litres per person; believes that this is well below the 100 litre limit recommended by the World Health Organization; understands that Israeli policies and practices limit access to water for people in Palestine to less than they are entitled to under international law; believes that only 31% of West Bank residents have access to the sewage network and that there is only one waste water treatment plant operating in the area; considers that there are significant barriers to access to water for agricultural use; condemns what it sees as Israel’s refusal to grant the necessary permits or military security clearance for the construction and operation of sanitation and waste water treatment facilities; understands that the situation is far worse in the Gaza Strip where, it believes, over 30 kilometres of waterworks and 11 wells operated by the water authorities were damaged or destroyed by the Israeli military during its mission, Operation Cast Lead; understands that the Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which is known as the Goldstone report, deemed that the Israeli actions were “deliberate and systematic”; applauds the Thirsting for Justice Campaign, which, it understands, works directly with communities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and notes the campaign’s aim to encourage European citizens, including those in the south of Scotland, to demand that governments put pressure on Israel to comply with international law and for human rights to be respected in Palestine.

*S4M-08168 Roderick Campbell: St Andrews Food and Drink Festival 2013—That the Parliament welcomes the second St Andrews Food and Drink Festival; understands that this annual celebration of food and drink, which runs from 2 November to 1 December 2013 promotes Fife’s wonderful produce, natural larder and renowned chefs; notes that there will be a variety of activities for people of all ages, including demonstrations by chefs, tastings and events involving a wide range of delicacies, and encourages everyone to visit St Andrews to celebrate what it sees as the best in Scotland’s food and drink.

*S4M-08167 Colin Beattie: EAE Wins a Nature of Scotland Award in Sustainable Development—That the Parliament congratulates EAE Ltd, a leaflet and poster distribution specialist in Loanhead, Midlothian, on receiving what it considers RSPB’s coveted Nature of Scotland Award in Sustainable Development; considers that EAE has been outstanding in implementing its effective environmental strategy, including using renewable sources of energy to run its vehicles and distribution centre, promoting the use of recycled paper and seeking to achieve carbon neutrality across all of its operations by 2015; further considers that EAE has gone the extra mile in sustainable business practices and in earning what is considered this prestigious award by creating a biodiversity garden in Loanhead, and understands that the garden provides a habitat for over 50 indigenous plant species and 30 bird species, making the Loanhead community a greener place to live.

*S4M-08166 Nigel Don: Dunnottar Castle Recognised in Global Poll—That the Parliament congratulates Dunnottar Castle on its top 10 finish in a virtualtourist.com poll that searched for the eighth wonder of the world; acknowledges that the castle finished seventh out of 344 entries in the poll, which saw more than five million votes cast; notes that it was the only UK entry in the top 10, and commends what it sees as this global recognition of Dunnottar Castle as a rich cultural heritage site and the home of Disney’s Brave.

*S4M-08165 Alex Johnstone: Dunnottar Castle Wins Global Recognition—That the Parliament welcomes the news that Dunnottar Castle near Stonehaven has been placed in the top 10 list in a global search for the eighth wonder of the world; understands that more than five million votes were cast worldwide and that Dunnottar Castle remained in the top 10 throughout the process and finished in seventh place overall; further understands that the castle was featured prominently in the film, Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson and was the inspiration for Castle DunBroch in the Disney-Pixar Oscar-winning animated blockbuster, Brave; congratulates all those involved in making Dunnottar Castle such a successful and prominent attraction to visitors, and wishes them every success in their future work.

*S4M-08164 Stewart Maxwell: Commemorating the Victims of Kristallnacht—That the Parliament commemorates the 75th anniversary of the events of Kristallnacht; notes that this was a series of coordinated attacks that took place against Jewish people throughout Germany and Austria on 9 and 10 November 1938; understands that the attacks led to the deaths of 91 people and that a further 30,000 were incarcerated in concentration camps; notes that over 1,000 synagogues were burned and over 7,000 business that were owned by Jewish people were damaged or destroyed; understands that the events led to the establishing of the Kindertransport policy in the UK and that this rescued nearly 10,000 children from persecution in central and eastern Europe, most of whom were Jewish; acknowledges that many of these children were the only holocaust survivors in their families, and remembers all of the victims of Kristallnacht, the Holocaust and Nazi persecution.

*S4M-08163 Stewart Maxwell: HMRC Falls Short on Tobacco Smuggling—That the Parliament understands with concern that the National Audit Office has estimated that, in 2010-11, trade in illicit tobacco cost the UK £1.9 billion and that, in 2012-13, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) failed to meet any of its operational targets on tobacco smuggling; acknowledges the reported comments of Margaret Hodge MP, the chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, that HMRC had “fallen short” in its efforts to tackle smuggling, and agrees with ASH Scotland that tobacco smuggling undermines important health policy initiatives designed to reduce smoking rates and improve the health of the population.

Supported by: Clare Adamson*

*S4M-08162 Colin Beattie: Volunteer Centre Midlothian Shortlisted for Public Vote—That the Parliament congratulates Volunteer Centre Midlothian on its project, Get Ready for Retail, being shortlisted in the STV East region for the programme, The People’s Millions, in which it will compete in a public vote for the chance to win a £50,000 grant; believes that the project seeks to give teenagers valuable experience and training in the retail sector in order to improve their employability; understands that participants must take part in a six-week training course before going on to open and run a so-called pop-up jewellery shop on the high street; notes that all 19 regional versions of the programme will be broadcast from 25 to 27 November 2013 and that the centre is one of the six community groups to be shortlisted in the STV East region; wishes everyone at the centre good luck, and will watch on with interest.

*S4M-08161 Chic Brodie: Diwali in Ayrshire—That the Parliament congratulates Ayrshire Bhartaya Association on its Diwali celebrations in Ayr Town Hall on 2 November 2013 and congratulates all the entertainers in celebrating the Festival of Light.

Supported by: Clare Adamson*

*S4M-08160 Hanzala Malik: Marking the End of the RNIB Community Engagement Project in Glasgow—That the Parliament commends the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Community Engagement Project in south Glasgow, which has trained bilingual volunteers from the South Asian community to increase awareness of the risks to eye health; understands that people from South Asian backgrounds are six times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, the leading cause of blindness among working-age Scots, however groups most at risk are not regularly accessing eye-care services even though eye examinations are free in Scotland; notes that the pilot project is coming to an end in December 2013, and would like to congratulate the staff and volunteers on what it considers their hard work and commitment to improving eye health in the South Asian community in Glasgow.

*S4M-08159 Hanzala Malik: Diabetes Scotland Secures Support for Glasgow’s Ethic Minority Communities—That the Parliament congratulates Diabetes Scotland on securing funding for its work with black and ethnic minority communities in Glasgow for a further two years; understands that this will enable it to continue to support people from minority ethnic backgrounds to reduce their risk of developing diabetes and help people with the condition to self-manage and live well; further understands that funding is from two sources, Glasgow City Reshaping Care Partnership’s Transformation Fund and Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland; is confident that this funding and the two new projects that it will help establish will greatly improve the quality of life for people in black and ethnic minority communities with diabetes and their families, and wishes Diabetes Scotland every success.

*S4M-08158 David Stewart: Thurso Cinema Highly Commended in National Awards—That the Parliament congratulates Thurso Cinema in Caithness on being recognised as one of the top cinemas in the country after being shortlisted in the Screen Awards 2013, which were held in London; understands that the Ormlie Road venue received a highly commended award in the Exhibitor of the Year, 50 screens or under category; understands that Thurso Cinema opened its doors to the public in July 2012 and received a £350,000 digital makeover last year; further understands that the cinema drew 65,000 customers in its first year to become one of the big success stories of the Caithness economy in recent years, and believes that the cinema owner has plans to expand the Thurso-based venture, including to other sites in the Highlands, such as Fort William, in the coming years.

*S4M-08157 Roderick Campbell: University of St Andrews Recognised by Buttle UK—That the Parliament understands that the University of St Andrews’ commitment to providing education to young people both in and leaving care has been recognised by it being awarded a Buttle UK Quality Mark; notes that this is given to institutions in recognition of their work in supporting what is considered one of the least represented groups in the UK education sector, and understands that, to achieve this, the university demonstrated that it has a robust strategy in place to ensure that students from a care background can access a package of financial, pastoral and educational support.

*S4M-08156 Aileen McLeod: Samaritans’ 60th Anniversary Year—That the Parliament congratulates Samaritans in its 60th anniversary year; recognises the efforts of those 127,000 volunteers who have answered over 115 million calls for help since 1953, and acknowledges what it considers their dedication in establishing Samaritans’ prominent and essential role in civic society in Scotland, the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

*S4M-08155 Alex Neil: Person-centred Healthcare—That the Parliament recognises the importance of person-centred healthcare in delivering the best health outcomes possible; supports measures to ensure that individuals are supported to be active partners in their own care; agrees that all parts of the healthcare system should be focused on the patient, and that should include both community and hospital care, and further supports Scotland’s modernisation programme to test measures to make GP services more accessible for patients, while reducing bureaucracy for GPs and freeing their time to focus on patients.

Supported by: Michael Matheson*, Shona Robison*

*S4M-08155.2 Jim Hume: Person-centred Healthcare—As an amendment to motion S4M-08155 in the name of Alex Neil (Person-centred Healthcare), insert at end "; believes that all people in Scotland should be supported to live a longer, healthier life; acknowledges that this support can only be delivered in a person-centred manner with a well-resourced and motivated workforce; considers mental wellbeing to be a foundation for good health and good healthcare, and believes that further work is needed to break down barriers and tackle the stigma that continues to exist around mental ill-health."

*S4M-08155.1 Neil Findlay: Person-centred Healthcare—As an amendment to motion S4M-08155 in the name of Alex Neil (Person-centred Healthcare), insert at end “; commends the hard work and dedication of those working in Scotland’s health and care services, and calls on the Scottish Government to guarantee that the health service is ready for winter and that all waiting time targets will be met over the winter period.”

*S4M-08154 Kenneth Gibson: St Molios Park Celebratory Event—That the Parliament celebrates the official opening on 1 November 2013 of the St Molios Park housing development in Lamlash, Arran; understands that of the 56 houses at St Molios, 40 provide housing at an affordable rent and 16 are shared equity; considers that this £8.9 million investment has been brought to fruition through the partnership working of Irvine Housing Association, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government, each of whom invested significantly in the project; recognises what it sees as the excellent layout of the houses, designed by Campbell & Morris Associates, and the high standard of workmanship by John Thomson Construction Limited; believes that this development is a major step forward in addressing the shortage of high quality affordable rented property on Arran, and wishes all the new residents every happiness in their new homes.

*S4M-08153 Helen Eadie: Building on Scotland’s Strong Relationship with Bulgaria—That the Parliament is very pleased that Scotland is among the leading countries to forge friendships and alliances with Bulgaria, particularly as it now becomes a full member of the European Union; considers that significant progress has been made in developing links and relationships with Bulgaria and hopes that a commitment will be made by all current parliamentarians to ensure that this work continues; asks that those parliamentarians who are committed to progress in this area work closely with Margaret McDougall and Margaret McCulloch, who, it considers, have both been strong advocates of this work, to help galvanise more political support across Scotland in the coming year, being mindful of the work already undertaken together with the airline and wine and spirit industries, and endorses the work of the Friends of Bulgaria group in the Parliament, and considers that, among the Bulgarian leadership in Scotland, there is a remarkable person living and working in Scotland in Professor Nikolai Zhelev, who was confined in his home for over a year by the former communist government in Bulgaria and has since worked tirelessly to support democracy and what it stands for across the European Union.

*S4M-08152 Kevin Stewart: Welcome to North East Scotland College—That the Parliament welcomes the launch of North East Scotland College, which brings together Aberdeen College and Banff and Buchan College; considers that North East Scotland College already has the advantage of cooperating and collaborating across campuses, with the area’s universities, businesses, schools and councils to provide the best courses possible for their students, and wishes the chair of the college board, Ken Milroy, the principal, Rob Wallen, the staff and the students all the best for the future.

Supported by: Clare Adamson*

*S4M-08151 Kevin Stewart: Congratulations to the WEA—That the Parliament congratulates the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) in the north of Scotland on its centenary; notes that the original Aberdeen and District branch was founded in 1913 and was later reorganised to cover the north of the country, from Tayside to Shetland; acknowledges what it sees as the contribution that the WEA has made across the north over the last century, which it believes is driven by its members’ passion for learning, and looks forward to seeing it go from strength-to-strength.

*S4M-08150 Rob Gibson: Food and Drink Awards—That the Parliament congratulates all of the winners at the Highland and Islands Food and Drink Awards 2013 on what it considers their talent and hard work; praises in particular what it sees as the strong showing from a wide range of businesses in the Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross constituency; notes that these included Gilpin Bradley of Wester Ross Salmon, who was presented with the top honour, Ambassador of the Year, in recognition of his contribution to the industry; understands that Berry Good, of Watten in Caithness, won the Best Drink Award for its vodka and gin infusions and that AquaScot from Alness won both the Healthier Food and Drink Award for its Easy to Cook Range and the Entrepreneur Business of 2013 Award; further notes that two businesses from the area were highly commended, the Storehouse, from Evanton in Ross-shire, in the Independent Food and Drink Retailer of the Year category and Michael Scott, of Mike’s Filling Station in Invergordon, in the Young Shining Star category, and wishes all of these businesses good fortune.

Supported by: Clare Adamson*

*S4M-08149 Christina McKelvie: Unite—That the Parliament agrees with Unite the Union’s leader, Len McCluskey, that the First Minister and the Scottish Government are to be congratulated for the “sensitive and understanding” way that the Grangemouth refinery dispute was handled; further agrees with him that the case for a Yes vote in the independence referendum “is a seductive argument”, and acknowledges his comments on people’s political perceptions changing and that many of Unite’s members are now finding the SNP more radical than Labour.

*S4M-08148 Willie Rennie: Citizens Advice Service’s Check it, Don’t Regret it Campaign—That the Parliament commends the Citizens Advice Service (CAS) for launching its Check it, don’t regret it campaign during National Consumer Week in November 2013 to educate and inform consumers about their rights when buying a used car; is shocked at the figures issued by CAS showing that the Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline advised over 4,750 Scottish consumers with a complaint about a used car in the last year, and that one in 10 were from the Fife area; understands that £600,000 are spent by consumers every week on used cars that develop faults, that 10% of those cars were not safe to drive and that 69% developed a fault within three months, and welcomes discussions that have been held between CAS, the Scottish Motor Trade Association and the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland on drafting a code of conduct for used car dealers that would offer consumers in Scotland greater protection when buying a used car.

This website is using cookies. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we’ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website.